Cerro del Chiquihuite

The Cerro del Chiquihuite is perhaps most celebrated peak in the Sierra de Guadalupe. It makes up the border between this part of Gustavo A. Madero and the municipality of Tlalnepantla de Baz in Mexico State to the northeast. At about 2,700 meters, it’s not the tallest in the Sierra, but the cerros position makes it one of the most prominent.

It’s technically a volcanic dome of exogenous character. But to most Mexico City residents, it’s the mountain with the antennas you see when you drive straight north on Insurgentes. These stand today in a great protected natural area. It’s accessible from the Tlalpexco Cablebus station which is just north of the peak. The walk takes about one hour.

The Nahuatl name, Tecpayocan, translates to “place of flint.” Indeed, the mountain has a long history of providing quarried stone. Lamprobolite andesite, a pink to violet-toned rock easily cuts into great slabs. It was highly prized and used extensively in the construction of the Templo Mayor.

The peak’s northeastern slopes host the Lázaro Cárdenas neighborhood of Tlalnepantla (Mexico State). It’s often cited as the most densely populated neighborhood in the entire country. Not many international visitors will make the trip to the top, though the Cablebús has made it much easier. The views, on a clear day, are never short of spectacular.